United promises sustainable flying – but experts aren’t convinced

On 1 December, a United Airlines passenger plane flew from Chicago to Washington powered solely by fuel made from cooking oils, agricultural waste and other materials rather than fossil fuels. Billed by the airline as the world’s first fully-loaded passenger flight to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), it was United’s latest attempt to demonstrate its climate credentials. United’s CEO Scott Kirby called it “a significant milestone” for efforts to decarbonize the industry. But to critics, it was another attempt to make sustainable aviation seem a lot closer than it is in reality and give the impression people can fly guilt-free. The global supply of SAF remains very limited and there are big obstacles to scaling it up. Yet despite these challenges, United is pursuing a growth strategy which includes increasing flight numbers, adding new routes and investing in supersonic aviation. When Covid restrictions ease again and the world opens back up, airlines including United are hoping to see rapid recovery. In the US, the industry is already expecting pre-pandemic levels of travellers this holiday season despite the rise of the Omicron variant. At the same time, it is under increasing pressure to tackle its climate footprint. Aviation makes up about 2.5% of global emissions but the UN has projected that carbon emissions could triple by 2050. Story has more.<br/>